This invention relates to an improved to an improved, stuffedribbon cartridge for use in business machines.
A stuffed-ribbon cartridge is of the type which has about fifteen yards of inked ribbon formed into an endless loop which is stuffed into the cartridge to form a plurality of random convolutions or folds of ribbon therein. The cartridge forms a means for supplying fresh ribbon to a print station in the business machine in which the cartridge is used and for quickly changing the ribbon in the machine without ever having to manipulate or touch the ribbon.
Some ribbon cartridges representative of the prior art are shown in the U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,814,231, and 3,830,351.
One of the problems with prior art ribbon cartridges is that the strand of ribbon exiting from the exit area of the cartridge will drag therewith several convolutions of ribbon. If enough convolutions of ribbon jam up at the exit area, the exit area can become clogged, causing the tension on the ribbon being pulled out of the cartridge to increase, resulting in possible fraying or breaking of the ribbon.
Another problem with the ribbon cartridges of the prior art is that the cartridges usually have a ribbon guiding means which is quite long, making the cartridge bulky. The ribbon guiding means directs the path of ribbon travel from a storage chamber in the cartridge to a print station (in a machine in which the cartridge is used), and returns the ribbon to the storage chamber of the cartridge.
In contrast with the ribbon cartridges of the prior art, the cartridge of this invention utilizes a divider or organizer means to effect a better flow of the convolutions or folds of the ribbon through the storage chamber of the cartridge. The cartridge of this invention also has an improved ribbon guiding means for directing the ribbon travel in a compact manner from the storage chamber of the cartridge to a print station and back to the storage chamber so as to produce a compact cartridge. This feature is especially useful when using the cartridge on a business machince where compactness is required. As an illustration of the use of this invention, it can be used in a business machine like an accounting machine which employs a wire matrix printer.